The man scratched his head.
It was Real Madrid's German manager, Bernd Schuster.
"Promoting Ho-young to Castilla after two years, and now to the first team after just one year... Whose idea was this?"
"It's part of the board's long-term plan."
"Interesting."
Now in his 13th year as a manager, Schuster was set to continue leading Real Madrid next season.
So naturally, he was interested in the board's plans.
"He'll be just 15 years old next season, right?"
"He would break the current record for the youngest appearance, held by Celta Vigo's Sanson at 15 years, 8 months, and 11 days."
"A historic day, indeed. Assuming, of course, that Ho-young makes the 25-man roster."
"You seem skeptical?"
"Not exactly. The fact that he's proven his value in the Segunda is why this conversation is even happening. I think the same. He's already shown his worth. But the problem is, this 25-man squad isn't just any roster."
It was Real Madrid's 25-man squad.
Raúl, Guti, van Nistelrooy, Robinho, Sneijder.
The elite among the world's elite.
Making that list was as difficult as fitting a camel through the eye of a needle.
Even the bench was stacked with names like Robben, Metzelder, Saviola, and Baptista.
To make matters worse, top-tier forward Higuaín was set to return from his loan spell next month.
It really was a kingdom of beasts.
Still, the chances weren't nonexistent.
"Hard to say, but Balboa's spot could be within reach."
"I think so too."
Midfielder Balboa, who somewhat overlapped with Ho-young's position.
A 22-year-old from Equatorial Guinea, he had played in six matches this season, scoring one goal.
He was the most vulnerable to being pushed out.
"Hmm... Understood. Let me see what he's got in training."
"Appreciate it. We'll await your evaluation report."
Ho-young's first-team debut.
Michel silently assessed the possibility.
"It's definitely possible. With the large-scale squad changes expected this summer..."
He was convinced a spot would open up for Ho-young.
But it wasn't just about the spot.
The key was whether Ho-young's ability would hold up in La Liga or if it was still too soon.
2:00 p.m. the next day.
Players from Castilla and the Juvenil squad were scheduled to join first-team training.
Ho-young was one of them.
While he couldn't debut in the league this season due to regulations, he was allowed to participate in first-team training.
Today was the day.
That's why Ho-young appeared at the first-team training ground.
"This is where it really begins."
He braced himself with determination and stepped boldly onto the exclusive first-team field.
"Whoa."
Three full-sized pitches and two auxiliary ones stretched out before his eyes.
It truly felt like the best training facility in the world.
"Am I the first one here?"
He had arrived an hour early, so it wasn't surprising that no one else was around.
With the season almost over, no one would be going the extra mile with early arrivals.
If anything, this was the time for players to take it easy.
But that wasn't the case.
"Someone's here. Training hard."
On the bench at the far side of the field.
A man with tanned skin and neatly trimmed grass-textured hair.
Just then.
"Yo, you're here!"
He waved excitedly at Ho-young.
Ho-young greeted him back with a bright smile.
"Hey!"
Three years ago, the left-back who transferred from Fluminense to Real Madrid.
Marcelo.
It wasn't their first time seeing each other since their paths had crossed a few times during 2nd team training.
But meeting at the first-team grounds felt different.
Marcelo flared his nostrils and grabbed Ho-young's chin with both hands.
"Hmm. What the hell are you doing here? You're still only 14."
"Hehe."
"Come on. What does a 14-year-old have to do to get called up to the first team?"
Despite his disbelief, Marcelo couldn't hide his delight.
Clap.
He placed both hands on Ho-young's shoulders.
"Welcome!"
Yesterday's opponent, today's teammate.
The perfect phrase for this moment.
Marcelo was genuinely glad to see Ho-young.
Especially since they didn't compete for the same position.
That made it easier to be happy for him.
"Let's do our best together."
"Sure. So how does the training...?"
"Ah, c'mon. Don't be so robotic. Training won't start for another hour. Let's sit down and chat. So? How does it feel being here?"
"Do I even need to say it?"
No, he didn't.
It was written all over his face: "It's amazing."
"But why did you show up an hour early? You're calling me inhuman, but look at yourself."
"Well, you know why."
Obvious.
To catch the manager's eye.
Marcelo had been designated as Carlos's successor but hadn't gotten many chances yet.
He started 15 matches this season, but it wasn't enough to feel satisfied.
So he kept putting in the work.
He wasn't naturally diligent, but he had spent the last three years staying disciplined.
He'd gone clubbing with his fellow Brazilians a few times, but overall, he was doing fine.
Watching Marcelo, Ho-young realized something once again.
"A true professional."
Pro = Survival of the fittest.
If you couldn't prove your worth, you didn't survive.
Marcelo was working hard, even changing his personality to fit that reality.
"They say romance on the pitch is fleeting."
Fail to prove yourself, and you're out. Prove yourself, and you can chase bigger dreams.
That was modern sports.
"Proving my worth, huh."
Let's do it.
I've come this far. What is there to fear now?
Just prove it.
That was the mindset Ho-young carried into his first day of training.
His meeting with Marcelo gave him the boost he needed to focus on his goal.
Then it happened.
"Hey, someone's here."
As another player entered the pitch, Marcelo gestured toward him with his chin.
"Come on, I'll introduce you."
"No need."
There was no need for introductions.
Ho-young already knew who he was.
He approached and called him by his nickname.
"Zizou!"
The third player to arrive was Zidane.
"I had a feeling, but this is even faster than expected. How long do you plan to keep surprising me?"
"All thanks to you, Maestro."
"And yet you don't call, don't visit. Enzo keeps asking when you'll come by."
"Haha. I've just been a bit busy. I'll drop by soon."
As Ho-young and Zidane exchanged warm greetings, Marcelo scratched the back of his head.
"What the heck."
He had planned to introduce Ho-young to the squad as a senior, but now it felt like he was the one needing introductions.
He already knew they had a mentor-mentee relationship, but didn't realize they were this close.
"I haven't even been to Zidane's house yet..."
Still, Marcelo took the lead as a good senior, introducing Ho-young to each of the first-team players as they arrived.
Normally, first-team players didn't care much about the reserves, but most of them already knew who Ho-young was.
Sergio Ramos, Robben, Robinho...
They couldn't not know. His name was in the media almost every day.
Ho-young's eyes darted around nonstop.
He couldn't afford to be distracted even for a second.
This was the club with the best players in the world.
If you compared it to food, it was a Michelin 3-star buffet.
His body was practically itching with excitement.
"If I could absorb all these talents..."
That alone would be more than enough to reach the world's top level.
But.
"When will I even..."
More than just time, the real issue was whether he could meet the conditions to absorb them.
Since those conditions varied depending on the player and situation, choosing who to target first was crucial.
"Whew."
"Hehe. Getting excited, right? I was the same at first. Felt like I was dreaming."
Just like Marcelo said, the excitement was impossible to suppress.
Each player exuded their own aura.
Maybe it was the tension, but it felt like each of them radiated a unique presence.
And it peaked when he greeted one particularly warm-looking man.
The symbol and legend of Real Madrid.
Raúl González Blanco.
Three years after joining Real Madrid, Ho-young finally met Captain Raúl.
And more touching than anything, Raúl spoke to him first.
"Bienvenido, El futuro blanco."
Welcome, the future of Real Madrid.
It hinted at Raúl's expectation that Ho-young would join the first team.
Reading deeper, it showed that Raúl already acknowledged him to some extent.
Ho-young shook his hand.
"Thank you, captain. I'll do my best."
As their hands met, a wave of emotion surged within him.
That emotion exploded when manager Bernd Schuster stepped onto the field and officially began training.
Now, it truly began.
3:35 p.m.
Training was in full swing.
Normally, sessions began at 8 a.m., but because of last night's evening training, today's session was in the afternoon.
"It's definitely different."
It hadn't even been long since training started, but Ho-young could already feel it.
There was a stark difference from the reserve team training.
First, there was a pre-training briefing.
Then, players moved to the adjacent building for a team-provided, tailored meal, followed by an hour-long massage to prevent injuries.
After that, they used bikes and various equipment for a 30-minute stretching session.
Only after all that did the actual training begin.
5:00 p.m.
With stretching complete, the players gathered on the field.
Schuster began to speak.
"Since we have some new participants today, let me briefly explain today's schedule."
From here, things weren't too different.
If it was the start of the week or there was no midweek match, training would be light, about one to two hours. Closer to matchdays, the intensity increased with tough practice games.
Today was Monday, so an 80-minute light session was scheduled.
But before that, there was a warm-up drill designed to raise physical rhythm.
The players' favorite drill, and the one that best revealed individual skill.
Commonly known as "Boxes."
Seven to ten players form a circle, with two players in the middle trying to win the ball.
The outer players must pass quickly and maintain possession while avoiding interceptions from the center pair.
In Korea, it's often called the "outsider game."
This drill tested core attributes of modern football: anticipation, decision-making, reflexes, flexibility, agility, acceleration, psychological warfare, and rhythm.
It was the perfect tool for assessing those traits.
"Alright then. Let's see what our rookies can do."
At the manager's words, all eyes turned to the new arrivals.
Most of them were focused on Ho-young.
Naturally so, since rumors about his first-team promotion had been circulating for some time.
To put it dramatically, today's performance could alter the 25-man squad.
Tension filled the air.
Then, the manager called out.
"Woo, Balboa. Get into the center."
"Yes."
A circle of nine first-team players formed.
In the middle stood Ho-young and Balboa, facing each other.
Although they had to work together to win the ball, in truth, they were rivals.
Only one of them would survive.
If one made it, the other would be left behind.
Tension sparked between them.
Then it happened.
Clap.
Raúl passed the ball to Guti.
At that exact moment, Balboa lunged forward with beast-like reflexes.
(To be continued.)